MLB Players Association Submits First CBA Proposal to League

The Major League Baseball Players Association delivered its first formal proposal in collective bargaining talks with MLB on Wednesday. The document calls for a new competitive integrity tax on teams that fall below a $150 million payroll threshold and raises the luxury-tax threshold from $244 million this year to $300 million next season.

The league issued a statement rejecting the tax provisions. It said the plan would reduce revenue transfers to lower-revenue clubs, weaken the competitive balance tax, and increase payroll disparity.

The league statement pointed to the two-time defending champions as an example. Under the union proposal, the club would pay less in luxury-tax payments, giving it an additional $70 million to spend on payroll. The club set a record luxury-tax payroll of $415 million last year and is projected to reach $419.6 million this season.

The lowest projected payroll belongs to another club at $82 million.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1. The league said it expects further talks focused on competitive balance. The union has not yet responded to the league statement. Both sides have described the opening proposal as the start of a longer bargaining process.

" — MLB statement The league added that the union proposals are designed to benefit players but do not address the competitive balance issue.